Fishing tool



Patented Aug. 5, 1930 UNITED STATES P TE T- orFicEq RALPH IRWIN rrnnnnnsomfor cnenrnsron; WEST VIRGINIA risn me TOOL v i Application filed March 21, 1927. Serial No. 177,042.

This invention relates to a fishing toolof the type used in well drilling operations for the purpose of removing broken tools and other objects from wells. It is more especialr ly an improvement upon the structure dis,- closed in my co-pending application filed September 24;, 1926, Serial No. 137,547.

One of the objects of theinvention is to provide a fishing tool utilizing gripperscar- '10 ried by the body portion of the tool, therebeing a plunger slidably mounted relative: to the body and carrying a wedging elementwhere-o I by, while the body issupportedin normal position relative to: the plunger while being .15 lowered within a well; the-gripperswill be I heldspread apartuntilthe descentis stopped by the obstruction in the path ofu the tool whereupon further downward, movement of the s'preading' element will release the grippers' for; engagement with the object to be removed.

A Afurther object is to provide grippers adapted tobe operated independently of the wall of the casing in which the tool is lowered 2.5 so that the saidtool canothus be used in well casings cit-different diameters.

Another ob'ectxis to provide means for antomatically, locking the body and plunger against relativeamovement after the grippers have been released upon reaching the obstruo tion, thus permitting withdrawal of the tool from-the .well without spreading the grip.

ers. 5

With the; foregoing and other objects in viewjwhich will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment-of the invention hereinv disclosed may be made within the scope of what. is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

p. In the accompanying drawings, thepreferred. form of the invention; has; beenhshown.

'mally resting upon the peripheryoffthe base In said drawings, 7 p Figure 1 15, a view partly n, sectionand partly inelevation showing the parts, ofothe fishing tool in theirnormal positions during the lowering of the tool. a j i Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion or Figure 3 is a section taken transversely through Figure 1 on the line indicated.

o Referring to the figures by characters of reference'QS designates the body of, the tool which can be cruciform in cross sectional contour as shown, or can be ofanyother preferred configuration; A central longitudinal bore 24 is provided within'thebody while longitudinal grooves 25 are formed in the outer surface of the body. Recesses 26 are 7 obstruction to be removed from; a well. E

tend-ing inwardly from the grippers28below the body 23 are ears or pro ections 3Q. nor

of'aconioal spreader31. This spreader is 7 located at the lower endof a plunger v32 slidable within the bore 24 andconnected at its upper end to asuitable coupling or substitute 33 or other tool used in raising and lowering thestructure. An annular groove 34, is

formedin thenpperportionio-f the plunger and is normally positioned above the body 23. Aiocking pin 35 is slidable within a radialv bore 36 formed, in the body and a spring 3? serves to thrust this pin against the plunger 32, The pin has a threadedsoclret 38 therein and a screw 39 is adapted to be inserted loosely into. the bore and into threaded engagement with the pin after which, by

pulling on the screw the pin can be withdrawn from contact with the plunger.

As before pointed out the normal pos tions of the parts have been illustrated in F igure 1, the lower ends of the grippers belng spread apart and being so held by contact of the pro-- jections 30 with the lower large end of the spreading tone 31. With the parts thus arranged the tool is lowered into the well, the weight of the body 23 and the parts carrled thereby serving to malntain said parts against relative movement during the lowering action. When the obstruction or 10b is reached the grippers will arrive inpos1- tions at dilierent points therearound and as further downward movement of the body and grippers ceases the plunger 82 will continue to move downwardly. Thus the grippers will be relieved from the spreadingaction of the frusto conical portion 31 and the springs 27 will act independently to sh1ft the grippers so as to cause them to tightly engage and grip the object to be withdrawn irrespective of its cross sectional contour. During the completion of the downward movement of the plunger 32 relative to the body the pin 35 will snap into the groove 84:. Thus the plunger and body will be fastened against relative movement and by pulling the tool upwardly the grippers will be held in contracted positions and'continue to hold the article being-withdrawn. After removal of the tool the key formed of the screw 89 can be placed in engagement with the pin 35 and used to pull the pin out of the groove 84 whereupon the plunger 32 can be pulled upwardly and the spreader 31 will shift the grippers away from each other."

Importance'is attached to the fact that the grippers are held' apart by the wedging action of the spreader 31 as long as the body 23 is supported solely by the plunger. Thus it is-not necessary touse the fishing tool in a well casing of a predetermined diameter, as where frictional contact with the well casing is essential for the operation of the tool. Insteadywith this form of tool, the same can be used in casings of all diameters with equal efiiciency.

What is claimed is:

' 1. The combination with-a plunger having 'therebelow, the base portion of the spreader constituting means for holdingthe grippers normally spaced apart, said plunger and spreader being movable downwardly relative to the body when the body is relieved of the support of the plunger, to release the grip- -pers for independent movement toward each .other 'under the action of their respective springs.

2. In a fishing tool a plunger, a frusto conical spreader at the lower end thereof, a body slidable on and adapted to be supported by the plunger, spring pressed grippers movably connected to the body, and adapted to engage and be held apart normally by the large end of the spreader while the body is supported by the plunger, said plunger and spreader being movable longitudinally relative to the body when unsupported by the plunger, to release the grippers for independent movement toward each other under the action of their springs, and means for automatically locking the plunger against upward movement relative to the body after the release of the grippers, said means including a normally restrained locking element movably mounted and a recess for receiving said.;element when the body and plunger are brought to predetermined relative positions. I A fishing tool including a body, a plunger slidable therein, a spreaderyat one end of the plunger, said plunger and spreader constituting means for supporting the body while being lowered for engagement'with an ob ect, grippers connected to the body and mounted for independent swinging movement,spr1ngs carried by the body for holding the grippers normally pressed against the spreader during the lowering of the body Wlth'tllB plunger, said spreader constituting means for holdingthe grippers normally spread'apart, and being movable downwardly relative to the bodywhen relieved of the support of the body, thereby to release the grippers for movement toward'each other to grip. an object therebetween.

4. A fishing tool including a a body, a plunger slidable therein, a spreader at one end of the plunger, said plunger and spreaderconstituting means for supporting the body while being lowered for engagement with an object, grippers connected to the body and mounted for independent swinging movement, sprlngs carried by the body for holding the grippers normally pressed against the spreader during the lowering o the body with the plunger, said spreader constituting means for holding the grippers normally spread apart, and being movable downwardly relative to the body when relieved of the support of the body, thereby to release the grippers for movement toward each other to grip an object therebetween, and cooperating means on the plunger and body for automatically locking them against relative movement when the grippers are released from the spreader.

'5. A fishing tool including a body, a slid able plunger therein, a spreader onthe plunger, said plunger and spreader constituting means for supporting the body while being lowered for engagement with an object, grippers movable with the body and mounted for i io independent swingin movement, means movable with the body or holding the grippers normally pressed against the spreader While the body is being lowered with the plunger, said spreader constituting means for holding the grippers normally apart andb eing movable downwardly relative to the body to release the grippers for movement toward each other to grip an object therebetween.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

RALPH IRWIN HENDERSON 

